


Immortal

by The_Playground_of_Alcor



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: One person immortal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 22:57:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10523670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Playground_of_Alcor/pseuds/The_Playground_of_Alcor
Summary: Percival once said that he would live as long as Whitestone stood.He didn't expect that statement to be taken so literally.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based on TieflingOfColor's post and TeamMomPike's tags
> 
> http://teammompike.tumblr.com/post/159095483390

The first time he came back, the party thought little of it, aside from a wondrous saving and a continuation of their adventures. But even then, Percy knew. He could feel something shift as he was brought back, some power transfer into his body. The rest of Vox Machina believed it was Pike and Sarenrae who brought him back, even he went along with the story, but deep down, he knew. It was Whitestone itself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second time was far more dramatic. Fighting Pit Fiends and Arch-Devils in the Nine Hells could be described, at best, as hazardous to one's health. This, Percy learned first-hand as the devil thrust its blade straight through his chest. "Oh." He thought, almost dreamily as he fell back, only half hearing Vex's anguished cries. "Well, I wasn't expecting that. I wonder who'll lay claim on my soul. Smart money's on Vex." A soft smile graced his face as the devil reached out a clawed hand and incinerated Percy's form.

Then, his eyes opened. Blearily, as though he were just waking from the most solid sleep ever, he looked up at the sky, ever-shifting through the branches. Realizing they looked familiar, he looked around to find himself in Whitestone, underneath the Sun Tree itself. Using the ancient tree, he pulled himself to his feet, then stopped as he felt a presence in his mind. Immediately, his mind whirled at the possibilities. Was this a fever dream? Perhaps he was somehow reliving certain moments of his life in a sort of highlight montage as he perished? Or was this all a fabrication by some entity, intent on drawing out his agony? The presence focused itself, and Percy heard a voice he didn’t expect.

_“Heeeeey, Perc’, how’s it goin’?”_

Percy frowned. Somehow, he doubted that Orthax would take on such an odd voice for a fabrication. Focusing his mind, he realized he could feel something, some power, flowing into him, revitalizing him. And it was flowing from… The Sun Tree itself? “Aahhh…. It’s going…. Ok, I suppose?” He said quizzically “And, how are you?”

_“I’m doin’ A-Ok, brother. Gotta ask ya, though, how’d you get here? Didn’t think you had the same kinda transport mojo like Kiki…”_

Percy looked around the town square as he formulated his thoughts. “You know… I rather think you might have.”

_“Oh, yeah? How d’ya figure that?”_

“Well, mind you, it’s just a theory for now, but I’m coming to suspect that Whitestone and I share something… deeper.” He looked down at the ground through which the Sun Tree spread its thick roots. Looking closely, he could see tiny flecks of the mineral that gave Whitestone its name and power. “I don’t know yet, but I intend to find out.”

_“Sounds good to me, brother. Hope you figure it all out.”_

“As do I, sir, as do I.” Percy furrowed his brow in thought and looked back up into the branches of the Sun Tree. “Although, there is another matter. How is it, good sir, that we can converse like this?”

_“Don’t ask me, you’re the one who just popped up in my roots.”_

Percy could feel the accompanying mental shrug and chuckled. “Well, it was worth an ask. Perhaps it’s best not to look a second gift horse in the mouth and just enjoy the first one. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go plan my apologies to the rest of the party when they return. If they return…” He sobered at that thought for a moment, then pushed it down. “In any case, I hope I shall have further opportunity to commune with you, Sun Tree.”

_“Same here, brother. See ya round the way.”_

Pulling his hand from the trunk of the tree, Percy stepped back to take in all the glory of the Sun Tree. Taking a deep breath, he turned and started making his way up the path to the keep, already considering the various possible explanations for this newfound phenomenon, as well as coming up with a deep and personal apology to the party, particularly Vex.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The years continued on, and the party gradually came to accept Percy’s odd gift. After some further unwilling experimentation, Percy determined that, for lack of a better term, Whitestone itself refused to let him die. When he perished outside of its borders, he remained so until his body was returned to Whitestone where it was revived after a period of time. If his form was consumed entirely, then he himself appeared back at the base of the Sun Tree. As time went on, his fear of death changed from what awaited him on the other side, to what awaited him when he returned.

The first of his fellows to not greet him upon waking was Grog. In his rage and desire to protect his family, he held longer than he should have, and fell beyond reach. Out of the party, Pike took it the hardest, retreating into Emon’s temple to Sarenrae and sealing herself off.

The next to fall, aptly enough, was Pike herself. Following Grog’s death, she took it upon herself to take the brunt of damage, to meet any assault head-on, with little regard for her own safety. The Arch-Fiend that laid the final blow had grinned in victory, moments before Sarenrae’s hand descended to avenge her cleric and obliterate it.

As in everything, the Twins were lost together. In landing the dual final blows against Orcus himself, channeling all the power of the Raven Queen, the pair were consumed by his death throes. The Raven Queen later appeared to Percy and Keyleth, revealing that, at the personal request of her Champion, she would hold Vax’s and Vex’s souls in stasis for a single night to allow them to say their final farewells.

Scanlan was, sadly, never heard from again. The last time Keyleth scryed him, he was cheerily on the road with Kaylie on a caravan, and the next, just one in a series of grave markers.

Percy remained in Whitestone after that, taking his place in the council that advised his sister in matters of the state, and Keyleth returned to the Ashari to truly take her place as the Voice of the Tempest. Through it all, Percy hardly aged a single day. Some decades later, even his sister fell to time itself, an ancient and revered leader of the metropolis that Whitestone had become. Others, as well. Gilmore, Jarett, Kaylie, Wilhand, and so many others. Eventually, all of the others.

Centuries passed, and Percy found himself in a position similar to the one J’mon Sa Ord was in; an immortal leader whose true face and origin few still alive knew. The more time he spent alive, the more he felt an urging, something he couldn’t explain, that pulled him… Outward. He couldn’t tell where exactly, just out.

When word came to him from the Air Ashari that the great Voice of The Tempest had at last been laid to rest, he knew it was time. Time to remove himself from this world, to let it continue on without him. One morning, before first light, he gathered his pack of supplies and set off. Pausing at the Sun Tree to say a final farewell, he continued on to the mountains that bordered the city, looking out over it as the sun rose. He felt more than noticed the being who came up behind him.

“It’s quite a sight, isn’t it?” He asked, not moving his gaze from the city slowly coming to life below him.

“Indeed it is, Percival.” A smooth voice answered as Artagan stepped up beside Percy. “A perfect sight to set off on one’s Final Journey, wouldn’t you say?”

Percy hefted his pack on his shoulder with a deep sigh. “Quite. Shall we, then?”

Artagan turned to Percy with a piercing look. “Are you certain this is what you want? When you come with me, your bond with Whitestone will be broken, and you can be killed like any other human.”

Percy gave one last lingering glance over the city. “I am. There’s nothing more to tie me to this world.”

Artagan nodded solemnly and reached out his hand. Percy took it, and with a flash, left Whitestone for the last time.


End file.
